This invention relates generally to clutches, and more particularly concerns cone clutches of the hydraulic type.
Cone clutches have found wide application in machinery where it may be desired to disengage one powered function while still driving a transmission or input shaft. Industrial drives of all sorts, particularly those having multiple output shafts, off-road vehicles and the like have utilized such clutches.
In the past, these cone clutches have usually been constructed so that they are engaged by operating some mechanical linkage mechanism, and have been disengaged by hydraulic means.
It is the general object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic clutch which is positively engaged by hydraulic means, and can be disengaged by mechanical means. An associated general object is to provide such a cone clutch which is inexpensive to manufacture, yet which is reliable and rugged in operation.
A more specific object is to provide such a cone clutch in which the number of parts required for complete assembly are minimized. It is a correlated object to provide a cone clutch in which the female cone member and the output shaft member are fabricated as one, unitary, single piece.
Another object is to provide a cone clutch which includes means for positively urging apart the mating cone clutch members when disengagement is desired. An associated object is to provide such a cone clutch in which a sliding cone member is slidably connected to one shaft (here, the input shaft) by an inexpensive yet reliable and rugged mechamism.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings. Throughout the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts.